White oak. Maybe some questions answered.

[Bryce]

Been seeing alot of "white oak questions" popping up well i didnt want to accIdently hijack someone's thread.
White oak is pretty indestructible. For example, here's a replica I made the other day took me all together 6 hrs to make. It's a replica bow from tbb 1 pg.178 (I think)
54.25" long, 2.5"@ midlimb introduced 2" of reflex took 1" of set. Which isnt bad at all for white oak. blah blah blah
Pulls 52#@28" Oregon white.




Heat tempered A LOT! Burned that sucker good. And the wood seemed to agree with the harsh behavior. Though the porous parts of the wood started to blacken and crack open. I did not care. And with good reason.

Right after tempering and reflexing(also with dry heat).
Gave it a quick sand so it would show up better on the photo



Over night. Closed right up.



String grooves(working recurves)


This bow has not gotten its cherry bark grip or a final finish.
It has in fact passed about 100 arras and is still shooting great.
This bow was more of an experiment than anything.

-Bryce

[Carson (CMB)]

Sweet.  thanks for posting pinecone.  That is some motivation for digging into those pieces of white oak sitting in line. 

Do you have an unbraced side profile pic? 

[Bryce]

Bad picture but oh well
Here yah go!

[Carson (CMB)]

That looks nice. I would have expected more set from that design and from what I had heard about white oak.  I wonder if it was your heat-treating that made the difference. Nice on yah for taking on that replica!

[Bryce]

I'm glad you like it! white oak is easy to tiller. That's why I have so much in my stash

-B

[sharpend60]

I just started a a white oak stave.

It actually gambel oak aka scrub oak but wiki said it was white oak so I'm sticking with that.
It has a pretty gnarly back and has some holes in the rings but i'm gonna tiller it anyhow.
I soaked em with super glue. If I get it finished I'll  defiantly post pics.

Thanks for the heat treat info.

[lesken2011]

You got a lot out of that piece of wood, for sure. Nice job and sweet bend.

[H Rhodes]

I have been working a lot of white oak lately and the stuff we have from the other side of the country reacts the same way to a good heat treating.  Mine cracks like that too and then reseals itself after re-hydrating.  That is a fine looking bow.  It is pretty near unbreakable from what I have found.  You tillered that one perfectly.  I usually end up with a little more set than that.  Great work.

[Bryce]

Sharp- jump on that stave! Im sure it not to dry down there for oak

Rhodes- that you for the compliment. I was noticing that no matter how wide or how narrow I made the white oak I always got 2-3" of set. So this time I went with a paddle bow design and the burned this nearly into flames. Iam very please with only 1" set. But am still determined to get 0.

[Sidewinder]

Well I am very impressed. A little shorty like that and white oak too...might have to give it another thought. well done.    Danny

[Bryce]

I forgot to mention that the wide limbs make this bow shoot an arrow about as fast a snail. But she stick Packs a punch:)

Another one I have has 1 1/2" wide limbs and shoot WAAAY faster but that's simple physics we all can agree on

[H Rhodes]

I have messed around with white oak designs a little bit too,  and have found it to be a bit of a puzzle how to get the best performance out of it.  I am working on a couple right now and have learned that they will take a lot of heat and that it really helps the performance.  I have overbuilt one and ended up with little set,  but sort of below average arrow speed.  The speediest arrows I have come up with per pound have come from a 58" recurve, bending slightly in the handle and limbs about 1 3/8" right out of the fades, and about 2" of set.  I am still on a quest for zero set and that ultimate design for this species.   I have one on the way now that is a simple D bow, 62" ntn, and absurdly thin tips - burnt toast heated - we'll see how that one does....  It is wonderful bow wood, huh?  White oak is quite unique.

[beetlebailey1977]

Very interesting thread.......have a white oak stave that I am looking forward to stating.

[Bryce]

I have messed around with white oak designs a little bit too,  and have found it to be a bit of a puzzle how to get the best performance out of it.  I am working on a couple right now and have learned that they will take a lot of heat and that it really helps the performance.  I have overbuilt one and ended up with little set,  but sort of below average arrow speed.  The speediest arrows I have come up with per pound have come from a 58" recurve, bending slightly in the handle and limbs about 1 3/8" right out of the fades, and about 2" of set.  I am still on a quest for zero set and that ultimate design for this species.   I have one on the way now that is a simple D bow, 62" ntn, and absurdly thin tips - burnt toast heated - we'll see how that one does....  It is wonderful bow wood, huh?  White oak is quite unique.

 I have one In the work with a particularly strange desIgn for this wood but it's showing remarkable results, but I'm keeping it hush hush for now just in case it fails

[bubby]

here's my favorite white oak, not heat treated 'cept for the tip's, with minimal set, less than 1/2", from a board, i've had great success whith this wood, BubIMG]http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt320/bubncheryl/Picture002-30.jpg[/IMG]